25/11/2025
Dr. Ansuman Mitra, Secretary, Medical Service Centre (MSC) with hundreds of medicos, nurses, paramedics, and citizens at large protesting at the gates of Swasthya Bhawan (Dept. of Health & Family Welfare, GoWB), Kolkata when their representative team was stopped by very large battalions of police force today, 25 Nov 2025. The citizens, many above 80 had come, led by the umbrella citizens' body, Voice of Abhaya - Voice of Women, to meet & lodge a protest with the Principal Secretary, Dept. of H&FW, GoWB, and Directors of Medical Education & Health, request to allow Dr. Aniket Mahata to join as Senior Resident at RG Kar Medical College as per the order of the Hon'ble Division Bench, Calcutta High Court (MAT 1736 of 2025 with IA No. CAN 1 of 2025) upholding the original merit list. Dr. Aniket Mahata, an organiser of MSC at Kolkata & West Bengal State, who has been a leading face of the historic Abhaya Movement, a movement that has witnessed the participation and support of millions of people across the world - has not been allowed to join RG KAR Medical College as Senior Resident despite being allotted as per the merit list more than half this year back. [https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/west-bengal/calcutta-high-court-directs-west-bengal-government-to-engage-rg-kar-protest-face-aniket-mahato-at-same-hospital-as-senior-resident/article70088388.ece]; [https://medicaldialogues.in/news/health/doctors/hc-upholds-junior-doctors-posting-at-rg-kar-medical-college-hospital-155816]What infuriated the people is that despite prior intimation, neither the Principal Secretary, nor any of their Directors could make time to meet the representatives - plainly making evident that have no answer other than nepotism & cover-up of criminal highups responsible for the murder-r**e. The level of democracy becomes all the more evident when citizens have to show strength to make the Government comply with the single bench, & then double bench Hon'ble Kolkata High Courts, yet none attend to such voice. At a time when the people's health is facing a severe financial crisis, the expenditure of crores of rupees of public funds for such an unjustified and unholy purpose by the Govt. is extremely unfortunate. It appears to be an act of vindictiveness aimed at suppressing a just movement. If such activity by the police was evident at the scenes of criminal assault then, justice could have prevailed.
Demands highlighted: allowing Dr. Aniket Mahata to join RGKAR Medical College as Senior Resident immediately, in compliance with the High Court's orders; ensure strong and effective measures to prevent sexual harassment and all forms of workplace harassment; Take strict action against all culprits involved in such activities within the health sector.